MRI: Acquisition of a Xeuss 3.0 with Genix 3D Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Instrument

这一重大研究仪器奖授予位于加州大学圣地亚哥分校的共享纳米/微细加工和材料分析设施的3D小角和广角X射线散射(SAXS/WAXS)仪器。作为一种基本的分析工具，这一先进的SAXS/WAXS仪器支持广大研究人员正在进行的研究，使合成化学、催化、无机和生物材料、量子材料和能量存储/转换材料等领域的发现成为可能。该仪器为包括圣地亚哥和奥兰治县在内的南加州地区大型科学界的SAXS需求提供了一种多功能、最先进、可靠和本地化的解决方案。此外，利用SAXS/WAXS仪器丰富了研究生和本科生在纳米和微结构材料的理论、合成和分析方面的培训。它允许教师将现代研究数据用于教学目的，为学生提供实践X射线培训，以增强他们的科学、工程和技术课程，并加强加州大学圣地亚哥分校的教育推广计划，带来了一个重要的机会，增加未被充分代表的学生参与研究。小角和广角X射线散射(SAXS/WAXS)是少数几种可以表征软物质和纳米材料的纳米和微结构的实验技术之一。它是表征各种生物和人造材料中的中尺度和纳米尺度特征的基本分析工具。该仪器能够在动态环境中进行测量(具有对温度、湿度和环境气体浓度的现场控制)，以深入了解材料的结构-功能和结构-响应关系。该仪器的独特功能包括自动同时测量SAXS和WAXS，测量液体界面上的掠入射，以及生物大分子的低容量流动采样。这些特征也适用于研究：(I)短寿命物种；(Ii)易降解的生物样本；(Iii)对空气、温度或水敏感的材料；以及(Iv)需要频繁或长时间尺度X射线测量的材料系统。该仪器还具有双聚焦点源，允许收集各向同性和各向异性样品的散射数据，因为可以从整个投影源生成散射图像。该仪器用于解决介观材料、无机和生物材料、量子材料和能量存储/转换材料领域的变革性材料科学问题。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Major Research Instrumentation Award is for a 3D Small-Angle and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS/WAXS) instrument, located in a shared nano/microfabrication and materials analysis facility at UC San Diego. As an essential analytical tool, this advanced SAXS/WAXS instrument supports the ongoing research of a broad cross-section of researchers, enabling discoveries in synthetic chemistry, catalysis, inorganic and biological materials, quantum materials, and energy storage/conversion materials. The instrument provides a versatile, state-of-the-art, reliable and local solution to the SAXS needs of the large scientific community in the Southern California region comprising San Diego and Orange Counties. In addition, the SAXS/WAXS instrument is used to enrich the training of both graduate and undergraduate students in the theory, synthesis, and analysis of nano- and microstructured materials. It allows instructors to use modern research data for pedagogical purposes, provides students with hands-on x-ray training to enhance their science, engineering, and technology curriculum, and augments the educational outreach programs at UC San Diego, bringing a significant opportunity to increase participation of underrepresented students in research.Small-Angle and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS/WAXS) is one of the few experimental techniques that can characterize the nano- and microstructure of soft matter and nanomaterials. It is an essential analytical tool in the characterization of mesoscale and nanoscale features in a wide range of biological and artificial materials. The instrument enables measurement in a dynamic environment (with in-situ control of temperature, humidity, and ambient gas concentration) to provide insights into materials structure-function and structure-response relationships. Unique features of the instrument include automated simultaneous SAXS and WAXS measurements, grazing incidence measurements on liquid interfaces, and low-volume flow-through sampling of biomacromolecules. These features are also appropriate for studies of: (i) short-lived species; (ii) degradation-prone biological samples; (iii) air-, temperature-, or water-sensitive materials; and (iv) materials systems that require frequent or long-timescale x-ray measurements. The instrument also features a doubly focused point source, which allows for collecting scattering data from both isotropic and anisotropic samples because a scattering image can be generated from the entire projected source. The instrument is used to solve transformational materials science problems in the areas of mesomaterials, inorganic, and biological materials, quantum materials, and energy storage/conversion materials.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.